1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to tools used with musical instruments. More particularly, it relates to a tether attached to a finger of a drummer at a first end and to a drumstick at a second end.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drummers in differing types of bands can drop one or both of their drumsticks, thereby diminishing the musical performance. Dropped drumsticks are usually the result of hands that are moist and slippery. The moisture may result from perspiration caused by prolonged or especially energetic drumming. It may also be caused by the environment, such as when a marching band gets caught in a downpour.
Most drummers are equipped with a holster filled with additional drumsticks which they can grab quickly as needed, but if the newly retrieved drumsticks also become slippery, the problem becomes more serious.
Drummers sometimes embellish their performance by theatrically twirling one or both drumsticks for a few moments. With practice, the artist can learn to twirl the drumsticks in a crowd-pleasing way. However, if a drumstick is dropped, the positive effect is lost and a few beats may be missed as well. If the band is a marching band, new drumsticks must be retrieved from the holster and retrieval of the dropped drumstick or drumsticks must be undertaken before the athletic teams re-take the field.
Thus there is a need for a tool that enables a drummer to hold onto a drumstick even with hands that are moist and slippery due to any cause.
Several manufacturers provide gloves for drummers to alleviate this problem. However, many drummers prefer not to wear gloves when practicing or performing. Other manufacturers provide drumstick wax that is rubbed onto the drumsticks to make them less slippery. Sticky drumsticks are difficult to re-grip and many drummers do not care for the feel of such drumsticks.
There is also a need for a tool that enables a drummer to rapidly twirl the drumsticks whenever desired without fear of dropping them. Gloves do not address this aspect of drumming, and sticky drumsticks are more difficult to twirl than untreated drumsticks.
A drummer having perfectly dry hands can also lose the grip on a drumsticks if a cramp arises.
Thus there is a need for a tether that can prevent loss of a drumstick during a hand cramp so that the drummer can allow the cramp to subside without loss of the stick.
Soft padding material is preferably secured to the interior side of the first end of the finger strap so that the finger of a drummer bears against the cushioned material when the finger strap is worn properly.
Similarly, the drum strap is also an elongate strip of flexible material having opposed ends that overlap when the material is wrapped around a drumstick. The midpoint of the elongate strip is fixedly secured by a suitable fastening means to a second, opposite side of the swivel member.
A hook or loop material is secured to a first end of the drum strap on an interior side of the strap and a complementary material is secured to a second end of the drum strap on an exterior side of the strap. The hook or loop material therefore overlies and releasably engages the complementary material when the strap is wrapped around a drumstick.
In a preferred embodiment, the interior side of the second end of the drum strap is adhered to the drumstick so that the drumstick is still held by the novel tether even if the opposed ends of the drum strap become disengaged from one another.
A screw or rivet extends diametrically through the swivel member and holds the outer part of the swivel member against rotation when an inner axle part of the swivel member rotates conjointly with a drumstick.
Advantageously, the novel construction is retrofit onto a conventional drumstick and does not require structural alteration of the drumstick. It is used without gloves and without wax.
These and other advantages will become apparent as this disclosure proceeds. The invention includes the features of construction, arrangement of parts, and combination of elements set forth herein, and the scope of the invention is set forth in the claims appended hereto.